Whether cancer is genetic or acquired is a complex question. It’s true that some types of cancer run in families. Those with a close relative with breast, ovarian, or bowel cancer may have higher risks of developing the disease. However, a higher risk does not necessarily mean you will definitely get cancer. In fact, genetic mutations are only associated with about three to ten percent of all cancers.
Genetic changes may be small and affect a single nucleotide. Alternatively, the mutation could be larger, affecting a larger section of DNA. Although cancer is not completely hereditary, it’s much more likely to occur in those with certain genes than in people without these mutations. Generally speaking, however, cancer is a combination of several risk factors. In this way, there’s no single factor that causes cancer.
A 50% chance of a person inheriting a mutation from both parents is known as an autosomal dominant mutation. In addition to cancer genes, there are other genetic mutations associated with several other types of cancer. These include five genes associated with the Lynch syndrome, which increases the risk of developing several types of cancer at an early age. There’s even a gene that affects skin cancer called xeroderma pigmentosum.
In the study, women and men with cancer susceptibility genes have a fifty-fifty percent chance of inheriting one. If they have the gene, they also have a fifty percent chance of inheriting a working copy of it. The working copy of the gene would not increase a person’s cancer risk. Some cancer susceptibility genes only link to certain types of cancer. For example, men inheriting a gene for ovarian cancer does not increase your chances of developing a prostate cancer.
A cancer counselor can estimate your risk and recommend regular checks for cancer. The genetic counsellor can also recommend treatments for known cancer gene faults. Whether cancer is inherited or acquired, it is best to understand what genes are mutated and what treatment options are available for each of them. You should never be embarrassed to discuss your family history. This knowledge can help you and your relatives. It can also encourage them to have regular checkups.
